| The binding shown above can be found in the online collection of bindings in the Bibliotheque nationale de France (click here to see the catalogue entry). We have to thank the BnF for providing us with this single weapon with which we can prove that Pierre-Paul Dubuisson decorated many bindings that the BnF have attributed to other binders such as Padeloup and Derome. Below I show a detail of the spine of this binding, here we find a few of Dubuisson's classic tools that he used on so many of his works. I have detailed these tools on another page some years ago (click here to see this page) |
| I had two objectives for this page, one was to show the arms of Madame de Pompadour around 1755, these we will compare with others on another page. The second was to show a connection with this binding to some other highly important and very expensive Dubuisson bindings. |
| The binding shown above can be found in the online collection of bindings in the Bibliotheque nationale de France (click here to see it) Below it I show the catalogue data for this binding that they attribute to Padeloup, even though Padeloup was very old at the time. You will see in this information references to all sorts of specialists as concerns this binding however there is not one mention of Dubuisson. I am going to show that Dubussion decorated this binding, the proof comes in part from Madame de Pompadours binding. |
| In Comparative Diagram I show that the Dubuisson roulette pd-R-6 is the same on both bindings, in Comparative Diagram 2, I show that the roulette found above the pd-R-6 on the Bnf RES-GR-FOL-LB38-232 binding is the same as one found on another Dubuisson binding that I have detailed on a previous page (click here to see it). |
| The reproduction of the binding shown above can be found in Sotheby's online auction catalogue (click here to see it) This binding contains large engravings of the festivities on the occasion of the Wedding of Monseigneur le Dauphin, February 23 and 26 MDCCXLV (1745). It is so big that it is hard to get an enlarged image with a lot of detail none the less I want to show that this binding was executed by Dubuisson. I show below the information given by Sotheby's claiming that this binding was made by Padeloup, as well as a rough translation of the text that pertains to Padeloup. The expert is claiming here that many other similar examples exist that are the same as this one and some with the etiquette of Padeloup. I suspect that all of these bindings were made with Dubuisson plaques. Let us first consider one fact, these bindings were made around 1752, Padeloup was, at this time 67 years old he had been working with books for more than 50 years straining his eyes and his hands without the luxury of modern tools or lighting, I think he may have actually stopped decorating bindings nearly a decade previous to the execution of these plaque bindings. Padeloup hired skilled artisans to do the gold tooling and signed the bindings as being part of his productions. |
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The binding is attributable to Padeloup, 1685-1758. The irons used for the decor are identical to those which decorate the copy of King Louis XV, preserved in the Library of Versailles, and the copy of Antoine-Rene de Voyer of Paulmy d'Argenson, keeper of the seals of King Louis XV. Binding of the copy of the Festivals for the Wedding of the Dauphin of Marc-Pierre de Voyer of Paulmy, Earl of Argenson, owns the water-colored etchings, in sale on March 21, 1996 was attributed to Padeloup. The collection of handwritten maps of the War of the Austrian Succession (Volume VII), by Marc-Pierre de Voyer de Paulmy, Count of Argenson preserved in the Arsenal Library, is in identical binder bearing the Fournier etiquette as binder. Binding of the copy of Madame Adelaide in red morocco adorned with the same dentelle, is signed by Padeloup. The binding of the first two volumes of the copy of the Fables of La Fontaine, illustrated by Oudry, Viscount Couppel Lude, are attributed to Bonnet, the volumes 3 and 4 in different bindings bear the etiquette of Padeloup. |
| When you look closely you can see where the individual plaques join. When you look at each one of the plaques you see the unmistakable Dubuisson plaque motifs, the same ones that decorated the Almanach Royals for decades. But more importantly you see in this particular example that Dubuisson has added his own gold tooled decoration with individual tools, easily identified, Dubuisson tools. |
| In Comparative Diagram 3, I have extracted from this large plaque folio binding, a small section of the detailing that was added by Dubuisson, just beside the central arms, and placed beside this in this diagram, I show the individual matching Dubuisson imprints. Unfortunately the detail of the folio is not sharp however we can still see that these imprints match up, we see the same matching imprints in Comparative Diagram 4. |
| It is hard to believe that in this day and age 'experts' are still befuddled by the Padeloup Dubuisson fiasco, this confusion was added to and magnified by so called 'experts' in the last century specifically Seymour De Ricci and Louis-Marie Michon. Today auction experts still refer to the expertise of these bunglers, I say bunglers because there was plenty of proof contradicting their theories everywhere. As early as 1931 we find some solid evidence presented by Etienne Deville in his books, La Reliure francaise. I. Des origines a la fin du XVIIe siecle. II. Le XVIIIe siecle et le XIXe siecle. Evidence clearly showing decorative bindings by Pierre-Paul Dubuisson, bindings that contained Dubuisson's signature ticket. Dubuisson proclaimed himself to be, first and formost a dorer, an expert in gold tooled decoration, and particularly in armorial designs. How did De Ricci miss this? How could Michon have been so blind? On the next page we will look at the revelations of Deville on yet another Madame de Pompadour binding by Dubuisson. |
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| Even experts are sometimes wrong, before you spend thousands on a book, please do your own research! Just because I say a certain binding can be attributed to le Maitre isn't any kind of guarantee, don't take my word for it, go a step further and get your own proof. In these pages I have provided you with a way of doing just that. |
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